1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to instrumentation for monitoring of motion and flexure of body joints and real time biofeedback to the user. In particular, it relates to a system of body mounted appliances, sensors and specialized signal processors with audible and other biofeedback capabilities.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The art of user fitment with medical devices for injury avoidance and rehabilitation therapy is not new. However, as with medical care and treatment in general, it used to be conducted with a somewhat cavalier attitude about cost. The `if it doesn't cost a lot in can't be any good` attitude, was driven home to the applicant some years ago when a new state of the art oscillometer product costing a conservative $300 was offered to a surgeon who quipped, "I paid that for the light I wear in the operating room," and declined to consider it further.
Now, however, we have entered an era of great emphasis on reduction of medical care and treatment costs. There is a new willingness by the medical care delivery establishment to consider and even search for lower cost products that offer bonifide medical benefits. The need for lower cost medical products extends to injury prevention and rehabilitation devices.
There are at least two patented body suit implementations for general measurement of body activities for injury avoidance and/or rehabilitation. The first body suit, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,377, requires points of electrode contact with the skin and requires soaking the garment with conductive fluid to select the measurement points of interest. The second suit, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,610, encompasses the entire body and measures by a plurality of mercury switches. Both are costly examples of accomplishing generalized monitoring at the expense of ease of use and do not lend them selves to casual use as in sports training or for prolonged use in the field of action. These types of devices are more appropriate for specific data collection sessions rather than for everyday wearing to monitor body motion for injury prevention or rehabilitation in the industrial setting.
Professional and recreational training activities for kinetic sports share the requirement for low cost, effective monitoring of body motion. Common problems facing both industries are the need for a system or inventory of low cost associated devices to meet the needs of athetes and patients of different sizes; the need for a flexible scheme for universal fitments adaptable to each part of the body; the need for a self-monitoring system and methodology that is easy for the athlete or patient to remove and reinstall daily, and to use and interpret so as to realize the full benefit.
More specifically, industry data clearly indicates a large amount of pain, suffering, lost time and lost productivity results from back injuries that occur on and off the job from lack of training or improper training in lifting and related activities. Lifting is a general problem, and twisting while lifting or repetitive twisting such as when moving parts along a production line are statistically very significant contributors to employee injuries.
One example of a recently introduced body motion monitoring device is the Spine Tuner.TM. by Clear Sky Products, a posture monitor consisting of a belt that goes around the back approximately half way between the waist and shoulder that holds a small system module against the spine. The system module consists of a pressure activated switch that is actuated by pressure, forcing the housing to compress front to back, actuating the switch. When the switch is closed, a battery is connected directly to a small motor with unbalanced weight, to cause vibrations that are noticable to the user. The system sensitivity is set by adjusting the contact spacing on a stamped metal switch by turning an adjustment screw. This operation cannot be performed while the device is being worned, which requires the user to use an awkward trial and error approach to obtain a useful setting.
One example of the need for body motion monitoring in the sports training category is in golf. The new `buzzword` in the golf industry for the last five years is the "X" factor, a rotation of the shoulders relative to the hips. The need to monitor spinal twisting in this instance is similar to the industrial requirements cited above.
It is common for workers in some companies and industries to be required to wear back support belts. Home DePot and the Merriot Chain are among companies with this requirement. Interviews with workers that are required to wear these belts produce answers ranging from, "Now that I have support I can lift heavier things", which defeats the purpose, or comments like "I have to wear it but I don't think it does anything." There seems to be an acceptance and confidence problem with these commonly required devices that defeats or reduces their intended benefit.
Much of the technology for medical and sports requirements rely on braces. A sport brace called The Secret.TM., endorsed by golf pro Greg Norman, sells at a premium price, but constrains the user to a particular position of the wrist, an approach that is not likely to promote good muscle memory.
Braces in general have a number of problems, they are uncomfortable, frequently they do not quite fit the subject or the need, in training they do not promote good muscle memory, they can cause injury by constraining too well during a required activity, particularly in athletics, and they can promote "false" confidence causing users to try to overperform.
What is needed, for both medical and athletic fields, is a low cost system and methodology of devices, sensors and biofeedback mechanisms that is flexible and adaptable to various body motions, comfortable to wear, and easy to understand and use.